The Joy of Glory

Job 9-10 (click here)
For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together. 33 There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both. 34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me. (Job 9:32-34)

Reflection
No matter how much Job feels that he is innocent and undeserving of the suffering he is experiencing, he knows that arguing such a case before the perfectly righteous, almighty God would be futile. No man can stand before the holy God and argue that he is righteous. Job knows that would never work!

Therefore, he longs for an arbiter…someone who could stand between he and God. Someone who could argue his case for him…someone who could relate to him as a man, but be worthy to stand before God. Such a person could perhaps save Job.

Is there such a person?

From our Christian perspective, we cannot help but think of Jesus. Fully God…able to stand before the Father in perfect righteousness. Fully man…able to identify with us. He is our arbiter…our mediator. He has born our unrighteousness so that we might be righteous before God…saved.

Job (and us) experiences suffering in this life, but God has provided a mediator who ultimately will bring our suffering to an end.  As our arbiter, Jesus has taken all the punishment for our sin so that we can know when we suffer…we are are NOT being punished! Job is NOT being punished and neither are you when you suffer for Christ has taken every ounce of just punishment you ever deserved!  When we suffer, it is mysteriously, providentially working for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison…it is working for our good, not our punishment (2 Cor 4:17, Ro 8:28).

Take heart…you have a mediator, an arbiter…the man, Jesus Christ (1 Tim 2:5)!

*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.